North Cook News

Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has given his endorsement for Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas, saying that he believes Vallas is the right person to be strong against crime in the city.

“Starting this runoff campaign with the support of an icon like Jesse White shows exactly the kind of broad, diverse coalition that we are building,” Vallas wrote on Twitter when announcing the endorsement.

White's support could be crucial for Vallas, as White's nearly 25 years in state office made him a key figure in Illinois. He stepped down from his office this year at age 88, having regularly won reelection with more than 60% of the vote, in addition to serving as operator of the state's driver's license facilities.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Vallas has been vying to increase his appeal to African-American voters ahead of his April 4 runoff election against fellow Democrat Brandon Johnson.

Vallas has sought to portray himself as a tough-on-crime candidate, and White backed up that sentiment March 2 when he announced his endorsement.

"Of course, our neighborhoods will be better because you are going to put law enforcement on the streets so they can discharge their duties in a manner that will make the people of our city and the people who visit our city safe,” he said in a press conference.

Vallas, the only white candidate in the nine-person race, won the first round of voting, but polls showed he didn't fare well in predominantly Black areas in Chicago. Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson emerged as the frontrunners, while Mayor Lori Lightfoot missed the cut by finishing third. However, Lightfoot swept all 16 Black-majority wards during the first round of voting, meaning both Vallas and Johnson were looking to play catch-up.